MidAtlantic DayTrips explores the midAtlantic states of the United States, finding the best and most interesting daytrip destinations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, Delaware, West Virginia, New Jersey and New York.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Newport News' Celebration of Lights

Celebration in Lights is a two mile drive through holiday light displays in Newport News Park, featuring some creative and well done lights arrangements.

Newport News Park is transformed by over a million individual lights, creating animated holiday and fanciful scenes.

One of my favorite displays is a nod to the region's Civil War history: Once Divided, Forever United, with the Monitor and Merrimack armor-clad ships, which fought a battle in nearby Hampton Roads harbor.

Over 300 individual display pieces, 50+ arches, and over three miles of rope lighting enhance the natural beauty of the two-mile drive along Newport News Park’s main road.

At one point, it seems as if you move through all the seasons, from spring/summer flowers and butterflies...

... through fall leaves falling over the road....

... then on to winter.

All new display pieces added since 2007 use LED lights, saving on both costs and electricity. The LED lights also last longer: 100,000 hours verses 3,000 hours for incandescent. Older (pre-2007) display pieces are being refitted with LED lights.

About Me

I love daytrips and poking around in those funny local places that no one seems to care about but which often are really interesting. I love writing too. Made sense to combine the two as each gives me an excuse to do the other! Daytrips are generally anything within a 4-hour drive - but vacations are usually daytrip-filled days from a forward operating location, so I'll be writing about those as well. Look me up on Facebook: facebook.com/midatlanticdaytrips